color in mind

7/29/2019 Color in Mind

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colourin mind

psychologyassociationsymbolism

how the human race has

related to, and been affectedby, colour throughout history

s d cc o l o u rexperience


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Red is worn by people who want to look smart and be noticed. You have lots of

energy, are practical and ambitious with a sense of fun an unashamed extrovert. Becareful though, you may be a little too dominant and appear aggressive.

As the colour of blood, red is symbolic of both life and death.

Symbolises humanitarianism in the form of the Geneva Convention and the Red Cross,or Red Crescent in Islamic countries. The faces of Sphinx were often painted redbecause the ancient Egyptians placed great value on extremes of complexion.

Red has the ability to increase our heart rate and blood pressure. It can make a roomlook smaller and feel warmer than it is in reality one way to save on heating bills!

Red is often used in fast food outlets, because as a stimulant it encourages the diner to

eat more quickly, thereby causing a faster turn-around in clientele.The colour of ruby, the birthstone for cancer. In heraldry, red represents courage andzeal.

Red Indians acquired their name from the now extinct tribe of the NewfoundlandBeothuks who painted their bodies with red ochre.

In the Christian Church, red as the blood of Christ represents cruelty and martyrdom. In theCatholic Church, Cardinals wear red robes to represent their position as soldiers of thePope and the faith.

The colour of ritual from the blood of birth, fertility and initiation ceremonies to religion.The Mithras religion believed that eternal life could be attained by the drinking ofblood. In the Christian Church, because He shed it for us, the blood of Christ is drunkduring the Holy Communion service in the form of the Communion wine.

A symbol of love as epitomised by red hearts and roses. The colour of death andcalamity for the Celts.

An exciting colour engendering emotion and mass response, for example, nineteenthcentury revolutionaries often rallied round a red ag. In the twentieth century, somepsychologists have explained the rise of Hitler and fascism in 1930s Germany in terms of thepowerful colour combination of red, black and white, used on their instantly recognisableag.

What sort of person has a preference for red? You are often volatile, moving betweenextremes of emotion, but above all you require variety and challenge in your life. Adislike of red indicates that you may well be frustrated with life.

Red has long been associated with righteous anger and war, as the colour of Mars,the Roman god of war. Red is also associated with the god of wine, Bacchus, who wasoften portrayed with red wine.

Red

PinkIf your are a pink person what does this reveal about your personality? You may be

seeking affection, gentility and tenderness or you may veer towards impulsiveness andeven immaturity, the latter characterstics being associated primarily with the young.

Different qualities are associated with different shades of pink, for example, light pinkevokes ideas of feminity and the rosy glow of a healthy person, whereas a dark, vividpink is often equated with tastelessness.


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OrangeOrange has a vitality, making it a favourite with young children and cheerful, quick

witted, talkative, active adults who like the company of others. It is also popular withadults who are suffering from exhaustion, perhaps because it offers the vitality theylack at that time.

Most prevalent in nature, orange implies warmth, fruitfulness, happiness, energy andwealth in all its forms.

A highly visible colour, it is often used by workmen and emergency services for highvisibility clothing.

In China and Japan, orange is used to symbolise happiness and love.

Colour psychologists have argued that as orange can lift our spirits and therefore

reduce irritability and hostility, its use in decor could improve our social behaviour,yet it is a colour seldom used.

In the saffron robes of the Buddhist monks, orange is used to represent knowledgeand humility.

The colour of Libra and the gemstone citrine.

BrownIn the power-dressing game, you are unlikely to impress clients if you wear brown,but will be seen as an equal by colleagues. Fawn is associated with professionalism,but without being intimidating and is therefore a good colour to wear if youwant others to communicate freely with you perhaps the colour to wear forinterviewing?

A preference for brown suggests that you require a secure home life, appreciateyour creature comforts and enjoy good food.

As a neutral colour, brown is considered a balm for depression.

Due to an association with the earth, brown represents comfort, stability and

permanence and suggests fertility.


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YellowA bright, cheerful colour, reminding us of sunshine,we often use yellow in decoration to cheer ourselvesup. Yellow is also thought by some to be goodfor stimulating mental activity and therefore anappropriate colour to use in classrooms, althoughsome may nd it stressful.

Visually and in our imagination, yellow issynonymous with gold and the sun.

In China, as the imperial colour,yellow represents absolute power

and supreme sovereignty.In the West, yellow has beenassociated with the fool.

In colour therapy, yellow isclaimed to be effective intreating arthritis, nervouscomplaints, rheumatism andskin disorders.

Yellow is easily seen at lowlight levels, hence its use for

diversion signs on roads andto warn of hazards in industry. Here,man is copying natures warning signal asepitomised by the colouring of a bee or wasp black and yellow being the most intense ofcolour combinations.

Yellow is often shunned by those who havebecome isolated and suspicious throughdisappointment, but welcomed by the mentallyhandicapped and intellectuals.

Yellow is favoured by cheerful people, who like new experiences and live in hope ofbetter things.

Yellow has been used to represent many things: cowardice; jealousy; prejudice andpersecution, as symbolised by the enforced wearing of the yellow star of David bythe Jewish community throughout history; and treason, visually represented by theportrayal of Judas Iscariot in yellow robes.

Greenish yellows are often associated with ill health, particularly jaundice, and withdecay, and cause repulsion.

In heraldry, yellow represented honour and loyalty.

The goddess of wisdom and patroness of institutions for the arts and learning, Athena,has been symbolised by yellow.

In China, yellow is the colour of the earth.

Yellow has been associated with life and truth.


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GreenGreen is equated with the countryside and outdoor leisure time pursuits, therefore it

is not a colour to wear to work if you wish to be seen as successful.

Associated with the birth signs Taurus and Libra and the precious stone emerald.

In colour therapy, green is used to treat cancer and heart disease.

Green has been called the colour of harmony and attributed with the potential tobalance the body, mind and spirit.

Green is the sacred colour of Islam, deriving from the belief that Muhammadscloak was green.

The qualities associated with green differ depending on the shade beingconsidered: yellow greens conjure up images of spring, youth and growth; blue

greens are seen as cold and icy; dark greens are considered to be rich with anelement of mystery and are synonymous with dark, damp hidden places; andnally, brown greens herald late summer and early autumn.

Green is a calming and relaxing colour, hence its use in Victorian hospital wardsand today in the green room where actors relax.

The Egyptians symbolised the fertility of the Nile in the Temple of Karnak by usinggreen in the colour scheme.

A preference for green can indicate a well adjusted, conventional person, orsomeone who is self-centered and likes to get their own way, dependent on the

shade of green chosen.In the Christian Church, green vestments represent the hope of eternal life.

In heraldry, green was associated with growth and hope.

For the ancient Greeks, green was the colour of Venus, the goddess of love andfertility. The sacred plant of Venus, the evergreen myrtle, represents everlasting loveand marital delity, hence its use in wedding bouquets.

Green was reputedly a popular colour for wedding clothes in Elizabethan times dueto its association with lovers and fertility.

During medival times, green was the colour of St John the Evangelist and the Trinity.

Green has been used to describe youth and inexperience or navety.Today, green is most commonly associated with safety, from rst aid points infactories, green trafc lights indicating it is safe to drive or walk across the road, toenvironmentally friendly products.

Green has negative connotations too disease, envy, jealousy and terror allpotentially destructive.


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BlueBlue is a good colour to wear in the powerdressing game. It creates respect for

the wearer and gives them authority, but without intimidating colleagues andclients, thereby allowing the wearer to successfully put forward new ideas or elicitinformation.

Unlike black, the other colour of authority in business, blue does not detract fromwhat the wearer is communicating. Blue also occupies a unique position as theworking uniform of all sectors of society, from the smart city business suite to theuniversal blue denim jeans.

Colour therapists use blue to treat a variety of complaints: fear, insomnia, shock andtension.

Blue people are caring, helpful and intuitive. They are often also quite insecureand shy, although they hide this well. Once part of a committed relationship, theyare devoted and loyal partners.

According to Edgar Carvce, an American psychic, people who prefer blue havefound their work.

Pale blue is usually chosen by people who have retained a childlike innocence andtrust.

The colour of sapphire and Virgo.

The colour of mourning in Mexico.

Blue decor makes a room appear larger and colder than it is in reality.Blue is a calming colour, having the ability to decrease blood pressure and theheart rate. Therefore it would not be surprising to nd cardiac units in hospitals withblue decor.

Symbolising peace and tranquility, blue is good for meditation.

In heraldry, piety and sincerity are represented by blue.

Blue has been used symbolically in religious paintings: from the sixth century blue,rather than gold, came to represent Heaven and from the Middle Ages the VirginMary has been portrayed in blue.

The phrase blue movie, referring to obscene lms, may have originated from theblue ame of burning sulphur of brimstone.

A rejection of blue implies that the respondent is anxious about something, may feelas though they have failed in some way or be worried about losing their status orwealth.

A preference for blue implies that the respondent is in control, reliable, dependable,also possibly aloof and desiring order and peace.

Blue is used to convey a host of messages: delity, safety, spirituality, truth, eternity,faith, loyalty, peace, heaven, nobility, prudence, wisdom and chastity.


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Purple & Violet

Are you a dreamer, hate responsibility and have high, perhaps unobtainablestandards and goals? Yes? then you are likely to express a preference for shadesof purple and violet. You may also be sensitive, display great taste and appreciatemusic and the arts. On the downside, you have a tendency to be temperamental.

But what if you hate violet? Well, you probably do not like close relationships anddislike all forms of conceit, pretence and vanity.

So where does the phrase born in the purple or born to be purple originate from?

Possibly from the tradition of wrapping babies born to the Byzantine imperial family

in purple robes. This, along with the difculty and high cost of producing purple dyefrom theMurex brandaris shellsh, ensuring that purple clothing was only availableto those of the highest rank, may account for purple being synonymous with wealth,luxury and royalty.

Purple is associated with the birth sign Aquarius.

The wearing of purple vestments by Christian clergy during Advent and Lent reectsthis colours link with sanctity and spirituality.

Purple has been used to symbolise Jupiter and Mary Magdalene, to evokenostalgia and to indicate sorrow, knowledge and humility.

Ageing, death, depression, disease and loneliness are all associated with pale greyviolets.

Purple is thought to impart energy and provide inspiration and yet is found to be adifcult and disturbing colour to cope with in decor.


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White

The colour of mourning in Imperial Rome, the Virgin Islands, part of the Indiansubcontinent and China. In China, white is worn to symbolise the departure of thedeceased to a higher, purer, spiritual plane.

The colour of Leo and diamonds.

In Europe, white is associated with christening. The use of white as a bridal colour,

representing purity and virginity, is a relatively new tradition in Britain, originatingapproximately 150 years ago.

If your wardrobe is predominantly white, what does it say about you?

Hardworking and self disciplined to achieve your goals, you may appear coldand insensitive. In reality you would like to be able to share and live more, but areprevented from doing so by your fear of losing control.

White is both a safe and exciting colour: safe because it blends with all othercolours and exciting because, like a blank piece of paper, you have a void withwhich you can create anything you wish.

In mythology and religion white symbolises completeness and unity.

White is identied with the moon.

Faith and purity are represented by white in heraldry.

White is synonymous with the clinical cleanliness and hygiene of hospitals.

In Western society, white is associated with such diverse ideas as authority, glory,innocence, joy, modesty, purity, simplicity, peace, sovereignty and virginity.

White is symbolic of expense, status and wealth as embodied in a commodity likewhite linen.

White creates a sense of vulnerability because it does not allow for anywhere to

hide and yet it has the power to deceive by hiding what is beneath it.Reecting everything, white forms the perfect background for other colours,enabling us to interact emotionally and visually with them.

White can represent fear, monotony and impenetrable cold.


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BlackIn Europe, black is considered the traditional colour of mourning, but did not

acquire this meaning until the eleventh century. Prior to this, white was theaccepted Christian mourning colour. It is thought that the change in colour is linkedto the monks adoption of a black habit during the fth century.

In colour preference tests, black is often actively disliked and therefore rarelyselected. However, if chosen, it is by people who are difcult to get close tobecause of their secretive nature. If you manage to penetrate this personsdefences, you will gain a strong and supportive friend.

Black can represent many things: fear, evil, the powers of darkness, annihilation, avoid, and evoke a sense of mystery and yet at the same time its engulng naturecan be comforting and sheltering, creating a sense of warmth and security.

In heraldry, grief and penitence are symbolised by the colour black.

Many negative associations surround black, for example, Black Monday, blacklies, although in some cultures a black cat crossing your path is considered a signof good luck.

Black is the most frequently worn colour for business and ofcial functions, perhapsbecause it has an air of respectability and conformity which the wearer can hidebehind, thereby masking their own personality.

Black clothing was also worn by nineteenth century anarchists and 1950s beatniksand has come to represent their revolt against society.

The birth sign Capricorn and the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn, are symbolisedby black a somewhat strange occurrence when one considers that when blackis found in nature it is in the form of dead and decomposing matter, for example,coal and crude oil!

GreyA preference for grey suggests that you keep your feelings, which can be quite

passionate, under control and even under wraps, because they scare you. In orderto avoid involvement and commitment you may well appear detached from whatis happening around you.

A restful colour when experienced for short periods of time.


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Colour preference testingColour related psychological studies are a phenomenon of the

twentieth and twenty-rst centuries. Colour preference tests have been

devised in order to gain useful information on how people will reactto certain colours in given situations, and as a means of personality

analysis.

The Lscher Colour Test, devised by Dr Max Lscher, is perhaps the bestknown personality test.

The basic Lscher test involves placing 8 set colours in order ofpreference and without reference to external considerations, forexample, would that colour look nice as an item of clothing or besuitable for a pair of curtains. According to Lscher, this allows a truereection of your colour preferences and needs.

Once the selection has been made the position of each colour(18) would be analysed to reveal the main personality traits of the

respondent at the time of the selection, with the colours placed in rstand eighth position being the most signicant.

The personality traits Lscher associates with these 8 colours are listedon the next page.

Applications of the Lscher Colour Test include use by some in themedical profession as an aid to diagnosis of stress related ailments.

The results of such colour tests suggest that colour preferences mayvary with age and even educational background. Young childrentend to choose red rst then blue, a trend which is often reversedduring adulthood, along with a general acceptance of less bright,more muted colours, although in the case of the less well educated,a preference for the bright primary colours often continues intoadulthood. A marked preference for bright colours is often expressedby the elderly, although this is thought to be linked to a decrease insensitivity of the cones in the eye.


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VIOLETAppreciative and sensitive, but does not wish for great responsibility,particularly in relationships. Desire to be viewed as fascinating and

charming by others, thereby exerting some control over them.Tendency to view own wishes, dreams and desires as reality.

YELLOWDesire change and hope for greater happiness, but always in thefuture. Wish to have the high regard of others and achieve importance

restless in the pursuit of these. Possible tendency towards change forchanges sake.

BROWNNeed for secure family and home life, and company of ones ownkind of great importance. Often takes the form of a physical need, forexample, a desire for all the creature comforts.

BLACKTotal renunciation of a world in which they feel nothing is right. Fightingtheir own fate, which may cause them to act unwisely.

GREYDesire to shut ones self off from the outside world and try to achievethis by remaining uninvolved and uncommitted. Even when appearingto be participating, the grey person is often behaving mechanically

watching ones self going through the motions. Often conceal theirpersonality.

GREENResistant to change characterised by constancy and perseverance.Place great value on ones self. Seek to reinforce this by gaining therecognition of others and projecting an idealised image of ones self.

BLUEOften a calm, quiet person with a need to trust and be trusted,particularly by people close to them. Desire calm, orderly andharmonious existence.

REDActive person, with the desire and will to win and achieve success. Oftencompetitive and productive. Desires excitement and enjoys living life tothe full.


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Colour and the consumerColour is used extensively by the retail, marketing and packaging

industries in order to convey messages and sensations or trigger

associations which encourage the consumer to buy their products.The food industry utilises the powerful connection between taste andvision in a variety of ways.

Food colorants are added to ensure that the colour of the foodmatches our expectations, for example, butter is naturally much whiterin colour, more akin to lard, and the canning process deprives thegarden pea of much of its natural colouring.

Certain packaging colours are associated with particular tastes or

qualities, for example, pink and red indicate sweetness; white and bluesuggest purity and renement; green is synonymous with mint avouredgoods, although mint ice cream is only mint coloured by virtue of foodcolouring! Colour is also used to convey information about who aproduct is aimed at or how it is made, for example, green is associatedwith recycled goods. Purple, gold and black are used to indicateexclusivity, expensiveness, luxury and quality, dependent on the natureof the product.

2004 Society of Dyers & ColouristsProduced by the SDC Colour Experience

An educational activity of The Society of Dyers and ColouristsPO Box 244, Perkin House, 82 Grattan Road,

Bradford, BD1 2JB, UKPhone: SDC + 44 (0) 1274 725138 (option 3)

Web: www.sdc.org.uk

Sponsorship of this booklet is in remembrance of Derek Moorhouse, whose work in textiles

and colour was an inspiration to others. May this booklet encourage you to achieve yourfull potential. The rest of your life is in front of you make the most of your opportunities.

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